Multi-conductor cables often include multiple conductors, or individual cable members, bundled together within an outer jacket. The conductors may extend outside of the outer jacket through an open end of the outer jacket at or near an end portion of the cable. The area in the vicinity of the open end of the outer jacket may be referred to as the break-out portion of the cable. In order to protect the cable from water and other environmental elements, the open end of the outer jacket is typically sealed by sealing material(s) and components at the break-out portion.
One known solution for sealing the break-out portion of a multi-conductor cable includes arranging a boot around the conductors and a portion of the outer jacket near the open end of the outer jacket. Heat shrink material of the boot is shrunk down around the end portion of the outer jacket, thereby creating a cavity into which potting material is injected or poured. However, this solution creates a problem ensuring that the potting material flows into spaces between each conductor within the boot. If any of the conductors are contacting each other side-by-side in a tangential manner within the break-out portion of the cable when the potting material is injected or poured into the boot, the potting material may not flow between the conductors properly, thereby allowing water and/or other environmental elements to wick down the interior of cable over time. This may lead to short-circuiting, corrosion and/or damage from freezing and thawing cycles.
An alternative known solution for sealing the break-out portion of a multi-conductor cable involves over-molding a boot at the break-out portion. According to this solution, the break-out portion of the cable is inserted into a two-part mold which is then injected with potting material. In order to provide reliable sealing, the length of the boot and the amount of potting material is increased. This solution requires excess potting material, increases cable size, increases manufacturing costs and is not as reliable as desired for long-term outdoor exposure of the cable.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide multi-conductor cables and methods of assembling multi-conductor cables that provide sealing at the break-out portion without requiring excessive sealing materials, excessive cost or excessive increases in cable size.